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VOLUME 40, sent September 24, 1996

Topics in this issue:
  1. Re: Who is dead now?
  2. Re: American Mr. Fantasy cover
  3. Coloured Rain
  4. Re: Recording Sessions
  5. Traffic newcomers
  6. Birmingham journal
  7. Re: First album
  8. Glastonbury Fair 1971
  9. A couple of recent questions

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1*1*1*1*1*1*1*1*1*1*1*1*1
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 96 12:28:19 EST
From: Adrian Vockeroth (Adrian.Vockeroth@cc2smtp. NRCan.gc.ca)
Subject: Re: Who is dead now?

As you have included Jimi Hendrix on your list, I assume that you are including
anyone for whom SW has recorded as a session musician.  To that list can be
added the late great Sandy Denny.

I just went out for my noon-hour walk and thought of another person with
whom SW played who has now passed on:  Chester Burnett a.k.a. Howling
Wolf.

He also played with Eddie Harris who I think is deceased.

Adrian


2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2*2
From: "JANKIEWICZ, Jim" (jim.jankiewicz@Connects.Com)
Subject: Re: American Mr. Fantasy cover
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 96 21:34:00 PDT

woontner@sirius.com wrote:
"The first Traffic album I owned was the original American release of
Mr. Fantasy, with the aforementioned "We're a fade, you missed this"."

Yes!  I have this album - HAS ANY ONE SEEN IT ON CD????
Song List -  Traffic - Mr. Fantasy  -  United Artists  UAS 6651
side one
1. Paper Sun
2. Dealer
3. Coloured Rain
4. Hole In My Shoe
5. No Face, No Name And No Number
6. Heaven Is In Your Mind
side two
1. House For Everyone
2. Berkshire Poppies
3. Giving To You
4. Smiling Phases
5. Dear Mr. Fantasy
6. We're A Fade, You Missed This  (repeat: HAS ANYONE SEEN THIS ON
CD?)

 Front Cover:
Winwood (center - white henley type shirt), Wood (left - apache tie,
vest, flowered shirt) & Capaldi (right - paisley shirt, good mean look on  face)
sitting on a white shag rug looking right at you.

Back Cover:
All three standing in sculptured English garden, Capaldi on right holding 2
sticks like canes in his hands, Winwood in center with left hand in coat pocket
and right hand clenched like he could be holding a cane and Wood on left
smirking with one hand on his chest and the other holding a branch.

There! is that trivial enuf  to share or what....?

It's a great album - better than the CD Mr. Fantasy IMHO.

"...heading down the road"
Crimson Dynamo



3*3*3*3*3*3*3*3*3*3*3*3*3
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 1996 17:06:51 -0500
From: Andrea Dyche (justus@oz.sunflower.org)
Subject: Coloured Rain

I just read this and was wondering if anyone knew anything about The Hassles
version of Coloured Rain.

"The Hassles LP: COLOURED RAIN - only notable for being released before
Traffic's version.  Otherwise, I feel it's a poorer track. "

(FYI, in case you don't know, The Hassles were a little band from the 60s.  I
can think of only one of their albums that has been released on CD and that
was "Rolling Home", which was Attila/The Hassles and it's a terrible album.)

Andrea


4*4*4*4*4*4*4*4*4*4*4*4*4
Date: Fri, 20 Sep 1996 09:45:52 +1000
From: PETER NUTTALL (Peter.Nuttall@law.monash.edu.au)
Subject: Re: Recording Sessions

In reply to Stuart Troutman's "original recording sessions", Dave Mason plays
acoustic guitar on Shanghai Noodle Factory and Withering Tree, his style is
very different from that of Steve and is easy to recognize. Who plays bass on
these tracks is harder to identify but I would have a guess at Steve on "Factory"
and Dave on "Tree". It must be remembered that, apart from a few exceptions
like Dear Mr. Fantasy and Means To An End (where there are two guitars),
Dave played most of the lead guitar in Traffic. As for "Toe", it sounds to me
like Dave plays lead guitar and possibly bass as well (this song is further
complicated by the fact that Jimmy Miller is credited as co-writer and it's not
immediately obvious what his contribution is!). Medicated Goo was recorded as
a trio, without Dave who had already left Traffic by that time.


5*5*5*5*5*5*5*5*5*5*5*5*5
From:    bobbieg@azstarnet.com
To: (LESAGE Melissa) (lesage@monza.u-strasbg.fr)
Subject: Traffic newcomers
Date: Fri, 20 Sep 1996 07:40:23 +0700

Hey, Melissa,

...If you have a friend who's never heard Traffic but who
would like to know more, what album would you recommend they listen to or
buy first?  Assume they were stuck in a cave for the late '60s and early '70s and
had heard no music at all.

This is sorta the way I came to Traffic.  I had heard SDG all through high
school and John Barleycorn from some roommates of my boyfriend, but it
wasn't until about 1980 that my best girlfriend, a musician whose taste I trust
implicitly, told me her favorite song in the whole world is Low Spark. Well,
later I just had to get that album, suddenly realized that SW was in SDG,
Traffic, Blind Faith and had released While You See a Chance, and it all came
together, and the rest, as they say, is history.  ;-)

So I guess I'd recommend Low Spark first.  I'm sure people could make a case
for listening to Mr Fantasy first and doing it
chronologically.  What do you think?

Bobbie


Date: Mon, 23 Sep 96 15:37:36 GMT
From: (LESAGE Melissa) (lesage@monza.u-strasbg.fr)
To: bobbieg@azstarnet.com
Subject: Re: Traffic newcomers

I was introduced to Traffic in a similar way.  A friend whose musical taste I
have great faith in who loves Traffic thought that I might like them since I was
beginning to listen to a lot of classic rock.  She recommended getting "Traffic"
first, and I think that was definitely the right decision.  It doesn't have long
instrumental solos, which I love now but which I don't think I would have been
able to appreciate if I had never listened to Traffic before.  "Mr Fantasy" also
has fairly short songs, but I find that you need to acquire a taste for some of
those songs--I didn't like "Berkshire Poppies" or "Giving to You" at all until
very recently--and I still haven't acquired a taste for the Dave Mason songs on
that album!  I think the songs on "Traffic" are more readily accessible to a new
listener.

So when my younger brother showed some interest in listening to Traffic, I
started him off in the same order that was recommended to me, and now he's a
Traffic fan too. :)

Melissa LeSage, lesage@ushs.u-strasbg.fr


6*6*6*6*6*6*6*6*6*6*6*6*6
From: GOlson2710@aol.com
Date: Sat, 21 Sep 1996 00:32:00 -0400
Subject: Birmingham journal

Reading most of the SW biography on the plane to England gave me many
places to go SEARCHIN' for.  I went for the easiest first, WHILE YOU SEE A
CHANCE.   I navigated while my friend drove exceptionally well for being on
the wrong side of the road and car.  We continued to ROLL WITH IT and
followed signs to Birmingham City Centre. We did stop to ask SOMEBODY
HELP ME find the town hall site of many Spencer Davis concerts. Soon we
found the beautiful town
square and took pictures of the Town Hall.  I could almost hear GIMME SOME
LOVIN' echoing off the walls.  We spent a short time in the nearest pub
figuring the band probably lifted a pint or two there at one time or another.

I knew the other sites would be harder but I wasn't prepared for how hard it
would be.  I thought finding St. John's Church where SW first played organ and
sang in the choir would be easy to find.  There happens to be two in the North
Birmingham phone book. We set out for the first of them.  Most streets in
England change names every few blocks.  Then you have lots of roundabouts,
CROSSROADS and one way streets. HERE WE GO ROUND THE
MULBERRY BUSH.  Don't
forget we are on the wrong side of the road. We knew we were FAR FROM
HOME.  Needless to say we got lost for over three hours and I CAN'T FIND
MY WAY HOME.  Finally we had to give up.  EVERY LITTLE BIT HURTS.
I traveled down so many roads I must have seen many of the sites SW saw and
may have unknowingly passed his childhood home.

Finding the clubs proved to be just as difficult.  Over the last thirty years or so
some have changed names several times and many have been torn down.  Even
the original Cavern Club in Liverpool famous for having the Beatles play there
over a hundred times as well as SW has been torn down to put up a parking lot.
They opened a new Cavern Club right next door using the original bricks from
the old club.  They sell Cavern T-shirts & postcards that boast of the many
groups that played there including "Stevie Winwood" (yes "Stevie", sorry
Steve).  In 1992 they modified the club by knocking down a
small wall.  This freed up 92 historic Cavern bricks which were donated to Paul
McCartney's Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts to raise money for the
school.  On a tour of L.I.P.A. I found out there were a few bricks left so of
course I bought a small piece of history with letter of authenticity.  By the way
Beatlefest in Liverpool is fantastic with over 135 bands over a few days.  Oddly
enough they had a band named Traffic which I had to check out knowing I
would be disappointed.  It was just two guys playing a rockin' blues.  They
were good but not what I wanted to see.  I wonder if Steve knows these guys are
using his band's name?

Most of the larger venues are still there like the Royal Albert Hall and
I have seen them but I was more interested in the more intimate settings like
the Traffic cottage.  WELL ALRIGHT I did not have an exact address but had
vague instructions from SP and was told it is a small town so just ask around.
Luckily we were able to enlist our British friend to drive this time and we were
RIDING HIGH.  The roads to Aston-Tirrold were small and very congested but
we did KEEP ON RUNNING.  We all laughed when one of us said we saw lots
of TRAFFIC on the way.  We didn't get to town till late afternoon.
There were tons of cottages so as usual we asked EVERY MOTHER'S SON in
the street and stopped in what seemed to be the only pub in town (called
Checkers).  I asked the pub owner but he has only owned the pub for 8 years
and knew nothing about Traffic being in the area. None of the patrons knew
anything about it. One long time resident said this is the first he had ever heard
of it and wondered why I would want to see such a thing.  I explained I am a
fan of SW.  I thought to myself the members of Traffic must have spent some
time in the only pub in town.  I also wondered if the pub's sign (a
checkerboard) might have inspired the artwork on THE LOW SPARK OF
HIGH HEELED
BOYS album and subsequent FAR FROM HOME CD.  We took pictures in
and outside of the pub.  Then a guy that looked just slightly like SW came in
with his family.  He said he thought it was probably a house just a block and a
half away which has been the site of many wild parties. We walked down to
"Orchard House" as the British are fond of naming their houses.  It did not look
much like a cottage as many around it did.  We took pictures anyway of the
house and town sign.  When we got back to the pub a new patron told us it
wasn't that house at all but probably another house two towns over just three
miles
away.  This other house had for sure been used by the Rolling Stones.  We
drove up the driveway of this mansion and took pictures even though it was
occupied.  This place was certainty no cottage.  By then it was starting to get
dark and the search had to end for now.  DON'T YOU KNOW WHAT THE
NIGHT CAN DO.  Maybe we had seen the right house but probably not.  If
there is a next time perhaps I will be better prepared with an address or name.
WHO KNOWS WHAT TOMORROW MAY BRING. It has been after all
many years. Much
of the history has been forgotten.  The years have taken their toll on rock'n'roll.
I was GLAD we had a nice afternoon in the English countryside and met some
nice people.

Craig Loudon


7*7*7*7*7*7*7*7*7*7*7*7*7
Date: Sat, 21 Sep 1996 12:16:17 -0700
From: pjrosano@ix.netcom.com (Paul Rosano)
Subject: Re: First album

woontner@sirius.com wrote:
"I remember the back cover having Steve, Jim and Chris (no Dave) posing in a
park, with their hands gesturing strangely, but I can't quite remember if the
front cover was just the Traffic symbol or something else."

The front cover of the first American album on United Artists, "Mr.
Fantasy," is a portrait of Steve, Jim and Chris on a small Afghan rug. Steve is
in front, wearing a white Indian style long-sleeve shirt. Chris is slightly in back
of Steve on viewer's left in a flowered shirt with a suede vest and neck scarf.
Both are sitting cross-legged. Jim is slightly in back, to viewer's right, wearing
a reddish-orange paisley, puffy shirt with a rather elaborate collar. I believe that
is the youngest looking I have ever seen Jim. They form a triangle. In the park
scene on the back cover, they also form a triangle, but a larger one. Of course, a
triangle would be a rather natural formation.

And Jim Jankiewicz wrote regarding the first album:
"QUESTION:  I have the album but I want it on CD -   any inkling??"

The United Artists version of the first album is available on CD but
in slightly different form. It is a UK import on Island and has the same tracks
and order as the American release, however, "We're a fade, you missed this," is
not the final track but has been restored to the end of "Paper Sun." I have never
heard the Traffic box set, but suspect the tag may have been appended to that
version of "Paper Sun" as well. Does anyone know? Also the little jam snippets
between tracks have been deleted on the import version.

pjr



8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8
Date: Mon, 23 Sep 96 12:44:37 EST
From: "Adrian Vockeroth" (Adrian.Vockeroth@cc2smtp.NRCan.gc.ca)
Subject: Glastonbury Fair 1971

Did any of the Smiling Phases crowd attend the 1971 Glastonbury Fair or has
anyone seen the movie.  The movie was originally intended for British cinema
(sort of a British version of Woodstock) but was apparently only shown on
television.  Anyway, someone from another list indicated that the film ends
with a "great stoned performance by Traffic".  Does anyone know if this film is
available on video?

Adrian Vockeroth


9*9*9*9*9*9*9*9*9*9*9*9*9
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 96 08:50:10 EST
From: Adrian Vockeroth (Adrian.Vockeroth@cc2smtp.NRCan.gc.ca)
Subject: A couple of recent questions

In recent issues of Smiling Phases, the following two questions were asked:
1) Is "We're a Fade, You Missed This" available on CD?; and
2) What is on the front cover of the US version of the "Mr. Fantasy" LP?

Answers:
1)  "We're a Fade, You Missed This" is the last track on the CD entitled
"Traffic Control".  Its on Island and the catalogue number is PR 2300-2.  The
CD also contains "Smiling Phases",  "Paper Sun" and "Hole in My Shoe" (all
from "Mr. Fantasy").

2)  The front cover of the American LP "Mr. Fantasy" has a photo of Steve, Jim
and Chris sitting cross-legged on a small sheep-skin rug.  Steve is up front with
Chris behind him on his right and Jim behind him on his left.  Chris and Jim
are wearing very dated mod clothes (Jim is sporting a hideous red shirt with
paisley-like designs) while Steve is wearing clothing that look as hip today as
they did then.

On the subject of the American "Mr. Fantasy" LP, I've never quite understood
why Dave Mason is not listed as being a member of the band although he plays
and sings on a good number of the tracks.  I know that he kept bouncing in and
out of Traffic.  When the American "Mr. Fantasy" was released, maybe he had
just left, so he was left off the album photography and credits.  This is just a
guess.  Does anyone know the real answer?

Adrian Vockeroth


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END OF SMILING PHASES, VOL 40